Christmas eve eve and I’ve been baking mince pies.  It’s strange baking christmassy goodies on my own. Up until now my daughters have made the mince pies.  It’s been their thing for years. Initially, when they were small, they played with the pastry by my side, stuck their little fingers in the filling, and basically got flour everywhere. As they got older they started seriously helping out. Cutting the pastry circles and spooning the filling in carefully so as not to get burnt bits stuck on the outside of the tin.  They cut out holly leaves, and santa faces (sort of – they have never quite mastered them!) as decoration, and eventually were able to make them way better than me.

It’s been one of those little Christmas traditions. For the past few years as soon as they both arrived home for the holiday, however late in the day it was, and having not seen each other for months, they’d be out in the kitchen giggling together over the mince pie making, while I sat with my feet up for a bit. Of course, they still ended up covering themselves and the kitchen in flour.

So I was feeling a bit wistful this afternoon, all on my own having to make my own mince pies!

Families build their own traditions around Christmas almost without realising. I’m sure I have carried some from my childhood with me, and so has my husband, and blended together they have made our own Christmas’s special, albeit predictable: Watching Carols from Kings on Christmas Eve, opening presents in the morning while it’s still dark outside, Mince pies and Bucks Fizz for breakfast, Christmas music blaring out all morning, and of course crackers, turkey and trimmings, lighting brandy on the Christmas pud, a nap after lunch, Dr Who and Strictly on the TV, then board games until two in the morning or thereabouts.

This year, the girls won’t be home.  Both working.  So for the first time, as far as we can remember (we traipsed between parents before we had kids), my husband and I will spend Christmas day on our own. I am kinda looking forward to a slobby day, might even be a pj day, but goodness me will I miss my girls.  They are coming home the first weekend in January though, so don’t have to wait too long, and we’re having a proper Christmas then.  Turkey, presents, mince pies…

Wishing all my friends in this lovely blogsphere a wonderful and peaceful Christmas full of surprises and laughter. xx